Airtel Kenya appeared to have finally put years of licensing uncertainty behind it after announcing in August that it had secured a new 25-year operating licence.

But the company's regulatory story is not quite finished.

A new notice from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows that applications submitted by Airtel Kenya for two important authorisations are still awaiting regulatory approval.

The regulator has opened the applications for public submissions until September 28, 2026, after which it can proceed with its decision.

The development is particularly significant because one of the pending authorisations covers international gateway services, an area that could become important as Airtel prepares to introduce satellite-enabled mobile connectivity in Kenya through its partnership with SpaceX's Starlink.

In other words, Airtel may have secured a long-term operating framework, but some of the permissions needed for specific parts of its network and future services are still moving through the regulatory process.

Two licences are at the centre of the issue

The first application is for a Network Facilities Provider Tier 1 (NFPT1) licence.

The authorisation allows an operator to deploy and operate communications infrastructure in Kenya, including infrastructure such as data centres.

The second is an International Gateway Systems and Services (IGSS) authorisation.

This covers international gateway infrastructure and services, including technologies associated with satellite communications.

The CA's decision to publish the applications for public submissions means the regulatory process is not yet complete.

Members of the public and other interested parties have until September 28 to submit their views before the authority considers the applications.

For Airtel, the timing matters.

Starlink is making the IGSS application more important

Airtel has been working with SpaceX to bring satellite connectivity to mobile users in Kenya.

The two companies successfully tested satellite-powered data and messaging services in Kenya in March 2026.

The technology is based on Starlink's Direct-to-Cell approach, which is designed to connect compatible mobile phones to satellites without requiring users to install a traditional Starlink dish.

That could significantly expand the areas where mobile users can remain connected.

Instead of relying entirely on terrestrial towers, compatible phones could potentially connect through satellites when they move outside conventional cellular coverage.

For Kenya, that could be particularly useful in remote or sparsely populated areas where building and maintaining terrestrial infrastructure can be difficult or expensive.

But a successful technical test does not automatically mean a commercial service can launch.

Telecommunications services remain subject to national regulatory requirements.

That makes Airtel's pending IGSS authorisation particularly relevant to its satellite plans.

Airtel has already launched Starlink Mobile elsewhere

The Kenyan development also comes as Airtel Africa begins moving from satellite testing toward commercial services.

The company launched its first commercial Starlink Mobile service in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in August 2026.

Airtel has indicated that the rollout will extend to additional African markets, but launches depend on obtaining the necessary approvals in each country.

That means Kenya's regulatory process could determine when Kenyan customers are able to access the service commercially.

The technology may already have been tested.

The business case may already exist.

But the regulator still has to open the door.

A licence issue dating back more than a decade

Airtel Kenya's current regulatory situation is the latest chapter in a much longer licensing saga.

The company's original Kenyan licence expired in 2015.

The issue dates back to Airtel's acquisition of YuMobile in 2014, through which it inherited the operator's licence.

What followed was years of disagreement between Airtel and the regulator over the renewal and terms of the licence.

An out-of-court settlement reached in 2022 helped move the process forward and contributed to the renewal of the expired licence through 2025.

But the matter was not permanently settled.

In September 2024, the Communications Authority granted Airtel a temporary two-year extension, effective from January 2025.

That temporary arrangement is scheduled to run until January 2027.

The extension gave Airtel additional time to resolve outstanding issues involving matters such as fees, spectrum and penalties related to service outages.

Why the 25-year licence announcement created confusion

Airtel's announcement in August that it had secured a new 25-year licence appeared to signal the end of the long-running dispute.

The latest regulatory notice suggests that the situation is more complicated.

The distinction is important.

An operator can have a long-term operating licence while still needing separate authorisations for specific network facilities, international gateway infrastructure or services.

Therefore, the pending NFPT1 and IGSS applications do not necessarily mean Airtel has no operating licence.

Instead, they highlight that additional regulatory approvals remain necessary for particular activities and infrastructure.

That is especially important when discussing satellite connectivity.

What this means for Kenyan customers

For ordinary Airtel customers, the immediate impact may be limited.

Existing mobile services can continue while the regulatory process plays out.

The more interesting question is what happens to new services.

Starlink Direct-to-Cell could eventually extend Airtel's network reach beyond the areas served by conventional towers.

A customer in a remote region could potentially maintain basic connectivity even when terrestrial coverage is unavailable.

Depending on the final commercial model and regulatory conditions, satellite connectivity could support services such as messaging and data without requiring customers to purchase a separate satellite terminal.

That could make satellite-to-phone technology particularly relevant for rural communities, travellers, emergency communications and businesses operating far from major urban centres.

Satellite connectivity could change network economics

The significance goes beyond Airtel.

Traditional telecom expansion requires operators to build physical infrastructure.

That can mean towers, fibre connections, power systems and backhaul infrastructure.

The economics become more challenging in areas with relatively small populations spread across large distances.

Satellite connectivity offers another option.

Instead of building a tower everywhere, an operator could potentially use satellites to extend coverage into locations where terrestrial infrastructure is difficult to justify commercially.

It does not mean satellites will replace mobile towers.

Urban areas and high-density corridors will continue to depend heavily on terrestrial networks.

But satellite-to-phone services could fill coverage gaps and provide redundancy during network disruptions.

Kenya is becoming an important satellite-connectivity market

Kenya has already attracted significant interest from satellite internet providers.

The country has a large digital economy, widespread mobile-phone use and substantial demand for connectivity outside major cities.

That makes it an attractive market for both traditional telecom operators and satellite companies.

Airtel's partnership with SpaceX is particularly notable because it combines an established mobile network with satellite infrastructure.

Rather than asking customers to adopt an entirely separate connectivity ecosystem, the model aims to extend the reach of an existing mobile service.

That could make adoption easier if the technology works reliably and the pricing is competitive.

Regulation will determine how quickly the market develops

The biggest takeaway from Airtel Kenya's latest licence development is that technological readiness and regulatory readiness are two different things.

Airtel and SpaceX have already demonstrated that satellite-powered mobile connectivity can be tested in Kenya.

But commercial deployment requires more than a successful test.

The companies have to satisfy local licensing, spectrum, infrastructure, security and other regulatory requirements.

The CA's September 28 deadline therefore becomes an important date for Airtel's next phase.

Once the public participation process closes, the regulator can evaluate the applications and decide whether to grant the requested authorisations.

Airtel Kenya's licence story shows why telecommunications regulation can be far more complicated than a single licence announcement suggests.

The company may have announced a 25-year operating licence, but the latest CA notice shows that important regulatory permissions are still being processed.

And this time, the stakes extend beyond paperwork.

One of the pending authorisations could influence how quickly Airtel can move ahead with its Starlink Direct-to-Cell plans in Kenya.

If approved, satellite-to-phone connectivity could give Airtel a way to extend coverage into areas where traditional towers are difficult to deploy.

But the technology will only become meaningful to Kenyan consumers once the regulatory, commercial and technical pieces come together.

For Airtel, the next milestone is therefore not another licence headline.

It is getting the remaining approvals that turn its satellite ambitions from successful tests into a service customers can actually use.

Kenya's telecom future may increasingly involve both towers on the ground and satellites in the sky — but the regulator still decides when they can connect.